Biggles Joins a Revolution
Biggles Joins a Revolution was the second comic strip story to be published in the TV Express Weekly. Drawn in colour by Ron Embleton, the story was carried in Issues Number 317 to 326 from 26 November 1960 to 28 January 1961. A French translation of the story was later carried in 2 issues of the comic magazine Rin Tin Tin, Issue numbers 31 and 32, published by SAGE from September to October 1962 (some pages in black and white). In 2002, Belgian publisher MIKLO issued an album Biggles contre le Dr Zanchu as part of its Biggles Heritage series. In this album the story was given the title Biggles contre von Stalhein (Biggles vs von Stalhein). The original strips on TV Express did not carry a story title. The French translations in Rin Tin Tin and Biggles Héritage used the title Biggles contre von Stalhein. The Miklo album on its bibliography on the last page rendered the English title as Biggles vs. von Stalhein, a direct translation. Between 2007-2010, Express Publications published compilations of various TV Express Biggles stories in three volumes each of a very limited run of only 30 copies. Here the story was given the title Biggles Joins a Revolution. This first available English title is used for this article.This French webpagecontains good information about the TV Express Comics. Synopsis Fresh from their adventure in Biggles Encounters a Brain Storm, Biggles, Ginger and Bertie take a holiday in Paris. There Biggles learns that Johnny Forbes, the son of a British diplomat and friend Reggie Forbes, has been kidnapped by agents of the government of San Felipe. Biggles, Ginger and Bertie decide to help, little knowing that they will shortly come up against their arch rival Erich von Stalhein. Plot (Click on expand to read) Stuck in the Parisian traffic, (worse than air combat they say) Biggles, Ginger and Bertie accidentally knock down a little boy. He is unhurt but Biggles recognises him as Laurie Forbes, son of his friend and British diplomat in Paris Reggie Forbes. On the way to his home, Laurie tells Biggles his brother has disappeared. His father says he had gone on a trip but he doesn't believe it. At Reggie's home, Biggles learns that Laurie's brother, Johnny Forbes, had been kidnapped by agents of the San Felipe government two days ago. The kidnappers had called, warning Reggie that he must accept the posting to the British embassy at San Felipe (which he had been offered) and that when he got there, he was to work as a spy for San Felipe. Biggles and friends are on leave so they offer to help, unofficially. If the agents plan to take Johnny out to San Felipe, this would be via Marseilles, so they proceed there. Arriving in Marignane, Biggles has a shock. Laurie has stowed away on the aircraft! The boy makes a run for it but is heading for the runway! Biggles chases and manages to grab him just before he is run over by an aircraft taking off. Biggles asks Bertie to take Laurie back to his father in Paris. Meanwhile, Biggles and Ginger use a rented taxi to mount surveillance outside the San Felipe embassy (sic. In Marseilles?) They spot the ambassador bringing Johnny Forbes into a car and follow it. The ambassador calls up an escort car to beat off the surveillance which they do by firing on Biggles and Ginger with submachine guns, causing them to crash their taxi into a shop. By the time Biggles and Algy get to the airport, the ambassador's diplomatic flight to San Felipe has taken off but they follow in their aircraft and spot it over the Atlantic Ocean. It's descending and soon they see why: it's landing on an aircraft carrier! The carrier sends up six fighters to intercept and Biggles and Ginger are shot down. Watching the engagement from the carrier is none other than von Stalhein! He instructs the ship to pick up the survivors for questioning. A day or two later, Bertie is summoned by Raymond. He wants to know what private operation Biggles has been up to. He shows Bertie Biggles' police card. They had been picked up when a Spanish fishing boat snared the wreckage of Biggles' aircraft in its nets. Bertie tells Raymond the facts about the kidnapping of Johnny Forbes. Through an Admiralty contact, Bertie learns that a carrier of the San Felipe navy had bene operating in the areas where the wreckage had been discovered. It was enroute to the Caribbean via Las Palmas, so Bertie flies there in a Mosquito. At Las Palmas airport, Bertie spots von Stalhein with the San Felipe ambassador. Eavesdropping on them, he learns that the Biggles and Ginger are prisoners on board the carrier. Bertie steals aboard the ship by climbing up the anchor chain and then releases his friends from their cell. Our friends look for a way to escape from the carrier and find the ready-made answer: the ambassadors twin-engine transport. They steal the aircraft and fly towards San Felipe. They just about reach the country and crash land in the jungle when they run out of fuel. They are captured by anti-San Felipe government rebels and brought before General Raphael de Ortega, the leader of the revolution. Ortega is sympethetic when Biggles tells him about the kidnapping of Johnny Forbes, but further discussion is curtailed when a rebel reports that goevernment troops are approaching! Ortega tells Biggles he has some Spitfires but no pilots. Could Biggles and co. fly them? The fighters are, as Bertie says, held together by twine and chewing gum, but they fly. Nor is Biggles fazed that the opposition comprises Meteors. Their Spitfires are more manoeuvrable and the opposition lacks their combat experience. Biggles and co. shoot down the Meteors and then attack the San Felipe tanks. Ortega is delighted with their victory and wants to make Biggles a general but Biggles tells him he must get on with his mission to free Johnny. Ortega refuses to let them go: he needs our friends to fight on his side. Biggles grabs Ortega as a hostage and they board a jeep to set off for the capital, San Porto. After he is released, Ortega tells his men not to shoot at the departing jeep--he appreciates men such as Biggles, and he has a feeling they will meet again. Our friends climb into the grounds of the Presidential Palace but unfortunately trigger an alarm and soon they have guard dogs pursuing them. Breaking into the building, they are met by von Stalhein but Ginger opens a window and the dogs jump in and turn their attention on the German! Biggles and Ginger find Johnny and free him and then get out of the palace. Meanwhile, Ortega's rebels are approaching the palace and von Stalhein hastily organises the defences. Outside, Biggles and co. meet Ortega. Now that Johnny is safe, Biggles agrees to join Ortega in his battle. The assault on the palace is successful but von Stalhein escapes. Ortega is acclaimed as the new president. He wants Biggles and co. to stay for the celebrations but reluctantly agrees that his new found friends must bring Johnny home to his father. Characters The Special Air Police *Air Commodore Raymond *Biggles *Ginger Hebblethwaite *Bertie Lissie Others *Laurie Forbes *Reggie Forbes *Johnny Forbes *Erich von Stalhein *General Raphael de Ortega Aircraft *Percival Pembroke - utility transport used by Biggles *high wing transport with twin inline engines belonging to the San Felipe ambassador. *carrier borne fighters, single radial engines, mid-wings, and undercarriage characteristic of Grumman Wildcats. *de Havilland Mosquito *Supermarine Spitfire *Gloster Meteor Places Visited *Paris **Orly Airport *Marseilles **Marignane Airport *Los Palmas *San Felipe Research notes Illustrations Editions References and external links Category:Derivative works